1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of protective eyewear. In particular, the invention is related to disposable, modular eye protection that is easy to assemble in a modular fashion.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,760 discloses a disposable face shield. The face shield protects the wearer against airborne particles and droplets that potentially contain pathogens. The face shield includes a plastic shield with a cord attached to a crescent shaped foam member for securing the shield about the wearer's face. The foam member is designed to conform to the wearer's forehead.
One particular problem of the above-mentioned face shield is that when a plurality of face shields is stored they occupy a great deal storage space. Furthermore, should the wearer desire an eye shield in addition to a face shield, or instead of a face shield, even more storage space must be used. The pre-assembly of face shields or of eye shields also adds to the cost of the protective wear.
An added disadvantage is the dispensing process of a typical face shield or eye shield. Normally, these types of products are stored in boxes or bags, which are stored in cabinetry. In a healthcare facility, hand sanitation is very critical to mitigate the spread of pathogens. Thus, the handling of packaging cabinet doorknobs, and drawers introduces opportunities for a person's hands to contact a pathogen.
Therefore, what is needed is a convenient way to store and dispense eye protection such as face shields and eye shields. What is also needed is a storage and dispensing device that minimizes contact with a person's hands on any objects. What is further needed is an eye protection design that can either be formed into eye shields or a face shield using common parts.